NHTSA Complaint #10336218 — 2004 MAZDA RX-8

I SLOWED TO LET THE CAR INFRONT TURN. WHEN I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR AGAIN, A BIG CLOUD OF WHITE SMOKE CAME OUT THE EXHAUST AND THE ENGINE COMPLETELY DIED. I WAS ABLE TO PUSH IN THE CLUTCH AND COAST INTO A FIRE DEPARTMENT. I TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR ONCE STOPPED BUT IT WOULDN'T RESTART. I COULD SMELL OIL COMING FROM THE CAR WHILE TRYING TO START IT WHICH LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THE OIL SEAL IS BLOWN. ONCE TOWED TO PEARSON MAZDA, I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR NEEDED TWO COILS AND SPARK PLUGS. ONCE THOSE WHERE REPLACED, THE CAR STILL DIDN'T RUN CORRECTLY SO A COMPRESSION TEST WAS DONE IN WHICH IT WAS FOUND THAT THERE IS NO COMPRESSION ON THE REAR ROTOR AND THE MOTOR WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. ON FRIDAY THE FOURTH, THREE DAYS AFTER THE INITIAL INCIDENT, I WAS TOLD THAT MAZDA WOULDN'T COVER THE MOTOR UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS HOLLOWED OUT. NOW ANYONE THAT KNOWS ABOUT CARS KNOWS THAT A HOLLOWED CAT WON'T CAUSE AN OIL SEAL TO GO ON A MOTOR. IT HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED MANY PLACES ON THE INTERNET WERE THESE MOTORS LAST AS LITTLE AS 20,000 MILES AND HAVE TO BE REPLACED. MAZDA DOESN'T WANT TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT. IT HAS NOW BEEN TWO WEEKS AND MAZDA STILL HAS NOT RESPONDED TO MY MANY CALLS TO GET THIS REVERSED. *TR